How Sweet It Is is the story of cheesecake caterer Delilah James. When she isn't hard at work coming up with new cheesecake recipes (her most popular is Chocolate Cherry Cha-Cha) she is dodging her mother's persistent nagging about settling down with a nice man and having some grandbabies. Unfortunately for poor Mrs. James, Delilah is much more concerned with her ten year business plan. At least she thought she was.

Enter Zach "Wild Man" Tanner an ex-football player and restaurant owner. He and Delilah meet under odd circumstances (her butt is hanging out and he's dressed like Batman) and are instantly attracted. Until they find out who the other one is, of course.

After the initial sparks fly, they find themselves finding endlessly and would have parted ways if not for a little debacle with the cheesecake contract for Zach's restaurant. In exchange for the exclusive on the Chocolate Cherry Cha-Cha he has to pose as her staid accountant fiancé Percy. Of course, the whole sham starts to feel all too real and with Delilah's scheming mother around, how can they possibly resist each other?

This book may be the first one I ever read where I really felt that I could relate to the heroine. Not that other's are unbelievable characters, but Delilah was my kind of woman. She isn't super skinny and petite, she has an obnoxious sense of humor that she expresses all too often and she isn't willing to give up her career to satisfy "Wild Man" and his sexist criteria for choosing a wife. You go, girl.

In general I am quite fond of the Harlequin Duets line. I used to adore the Love and Laughter before it's demise, but think the Duets is a good replacement. Some of the books are kind of bizarre and uneven, but there are so many hidden gems like this one by Kimberly Raye that it's definitely worth the effort to pick one up now and again.

Note: I haven't read Second-Chance Groom by Eugenia Riley yet. I'm not snubbing it! If I like it too, I will add the review onto the end of this one. --A.B.